While handing over transport responsibility to unskilled staff, educational institutions in Islamabad has put lives of thousands of students at stake, sources said on Wednesday
ISLAMABAD, (Pakistan Point News / Online - 29th January, 2020) While handing over transport responsibility to unskilled staff, educational institutions in Islamabad has put lives of thousands of students at stake, sources said on Wednesday.However, the management of educational institutions has view that the education ministry was supposed to release funds for the induction of skilled drivers and conductors which it remained failed for the past one-and-a-half year.
Following the situation, the educational institutional are forced to avail services of lower staff for transport facility.The education management claimed that the ministry of education has failed to get fund approval for schools and colleagues despite more than one year have passed. It is pertinent to mention here that the former government of Nawaz Sharif had allotted 140 buses to Islamabad model educational institutions during last year of his tenure.
Most of the buses have caught rust under open sky due to non-availability of drivers.Some of the schools principals have taken initiative on self-help basis. Teachers, clerical and non-clerical staffs have give additional transport responsibility, but most of them are not trained for heavy transport.The previous government had inducted 60 drivers and conductors on contract basis for one year but their contract could not be extended during the ruling government of PTI.
Due to lack of drivers, most of schools and colleagues buses are parked in the grounds of the educational institutions.At the time of purchase, a single bus cost was Rs6.5 million which has increased now following increase in Dollar price in the international market. However, due non-availability of drivers has forced schools managements to kept them parked. In such situation, there is a chance of millions of rupees losses to the national exchequer.
Director General Education Javed when contacted confirmed the prevailing transport situation in Islamabad's educational institutions. He said the education department has dispatched several letters to the Ministry of Finance and Establishment Division but funds could not be approved. He said, following the situation, FDE is bound to avail transport facility on self-help basis. The ED said they were trying to convince the finance ministry for fund release.
